The Osprey – Monmouth

This sculpture was created for Cherry in Monmouth after an ash tree was felled in her garden, leaving a forked trunk around five feet high. The natural shape of the two stems immediately suggested a bird with outstretched wings, and together we settled on an Osprey coming in to land. I developed the design around the existing tree before carving the sculpture in situ, using the shape and grain of the ash to help form the wings and feather detail. At over 8 feet (2.4m) tall, scaffolding was needed during the carving, and once complete the timber was allowed to dry before being protected with Osmo 420. Colour was kept subtle, using pyrography and pale highlights to bring out the Osprey's natural plumage while still allowing the character of the wood to show through.